Pasta is a carbohydrate's best friend. Sure I love the stuff, just like I love hot buttered bread. But the problem is so does my waistline, my butt and my thighs. They want to hold on to that pasta in the form of fat, cellulite and lots of jiggle. So, I have been trying to slowly but surely weed out all of those high in carbohydrate's dishes that I love but replace them with low carbohydrate, HEALTHIER versions. So, I present the spaghetti squash! Do you realize that 1 cup of pasta has 40 grams of carbohydrate's? Now compare that to the spaghetti squash, 1 cup has 8 grams of carbohydrates and only 42 calories. What?! What?! After hearing those statistics how can you say "no", right? Well, you might give the argument that is doesn't taste as good. I beg to differ. You might complain that is it a pain to make? Pffffft. This is where I come in. I am going to show you JUST how easy it is to make a spaghetti squash pasta replacement.
Spaghetti Squash
Ingredients
1 Spaghetti Squash
1 oven
Directions
1. Many websites will tell you to cut the squash in half and place it in the oven. Well, if you have ever tried this method then you will know you either have to be Mr./Mrs. Universe powerful to get through a raw spaghetti squash or have a chainsaw on hand. What do I do instead? I preheat the oven at 375 degrees and place the entire spaghetti squash in there.
2. I then cook the spaghetti squash for ~ an hour. This really depends on the size of the squash. For bigger squashes I will cook for up to an hour and a half. You do not want to exceed this, your spaghetti squash will explode. I speak from experience and it was NOT easy cleaning the oven out!
3. After you are done cooking the squash, take it out of the oven and let it cool. The squash will be very mushy to handle. This is what you want!
4. Once the squash is cool enough to handle, cut it lengthwise. It should be VERY easy to cut through. Scrape out the seedy part and discard.
5. Now scrape out all the "innards" of squash with a fork. Save this yummy part to eat!
6. It is ready to serve, easy peasy!
Add your favorite sauce and you have a great low carb, low calorie, DELICIOUS meal! Enjoy.
I ADORE spaghetti squash! I usually steam it in the microwave to save time, but it sure is delicious baked as well!
ReplyDeleteI have never cooked it in the microwave but heard many do. Sounds even easier, will have to give it a try. Do you have to cut it first?
DeleteYum! This is actually be of my faves! My 3 yr old really thinks it's pasta! :-)
ReplyDeleteI'd say you would have to poke it with something sharp and pointy ... like a fork ... so it doesn't EXPLODE (<< sorry, I though it should be capitals). It's like a potato or something with non porous skin - it needs the holes to release steam etc. I can't find spaghetti squash here in the UK but I will be growing it in my veggie patch when I get back to Australia =) and now I know how to cook it!
ReplyDeleteIt would be ideal to poke it with something sharp and pointy. It is just SO DIFFICULT to penetrate... you will have to use a jack hammer! haha Maybe if you let it soften in the oven first for a half an hour or so. Hmmm, that might just work. Thanks for the idea. :)
Delete